Weevils belonging to the Genus Smicronyx Schönherr, 1843 (Coleoptera, Curculionidae) affecting dodders (Cuscuta Linnaeus, 1753) in the Russian Far East

Abstract

Two species of dodder are widespread in the Russian Far East—alien species Cuscuta campestris Yunck and native C. japonica Choisy (Cuscutaceae Dum.). For the first time we have identified individual species of Smicronyx genus in relation to specific dodder species as there was no such a research done in the Far East before. Smicronyx rubricatus Kono, 1930 was found on Cuscuta japonica Choisy, but plant galls were not detected. The insects fed on dodder sap and mate during the flower bud formation and flowering stages. Smicronyx madaranus Kono, 1930 was found to affect Cuscuta campestris Yunck.; its larvae form stem galls.